Condiment dispenser



y 20, 1952 F. J. MINTURN 2,597,165

CONDIMENT DISPENSER Filed Oct. 4, 1947 INVENTOR. FEANKZ/A/ J N/NTUE/lf Patented May 20, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT 2,597,165 H CONDIMENT Franklin J. Minturn, Toms-River, N.J. Application October 4, 1947, serra'i'no. times (o1. ace-5w 1 Claim.

This invention relates to condiment dispensers.

It is an object of the present invention to. provide a condiment dispenser with a closure cap which can be adjusted to. either a closed or open position and wherein to dispense the condiment, the cap is depressed against the action of a spring to bring into alignment openings on the cap and on the container part.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a condiment dispenser with a closure cap construction which is simple, automatically extended to the closed position when released, inexpensive to manufacture and efficient in operation.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the condiment dispenser embodying the features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary and sectional view taken generally on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary and sectional view taken generally on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the cap removed from the container part.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the dispenser tilted for operation and being worked by the hand of the user and with the parts brought together to align the dispensing holes thereof.

Fig. 6 isa fragmentary and. sectional view of a modified form of the invention wherein the closure cap arrangement has been applied to a conventional glass dispenser.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the parts of the closure cap.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified form of part shown in Fig. 7.

Referring now to the figures, It) represents a container part for the condiment l I. This part has a bottom opening l2, Fig. 5, by which the part is filled with the material II. This opening I 2 is closed by a cork [3. The bottom is depressed so that the cork will not interfere with the setting up of the dispenser on a fiat surface. The top end of the part [0, as shown in Figs. 1 to 5, is closed. About the sides of the part ID are a plurality of circumferentially spaced holes 14 through which the material I I may be dispensed when closure cap I5 is brought downwardly on the part Hi to align its holes [6 with the holes M.-

adapted. to extendinto dog leg shaped grooves: i8 on the interior face of the cap ['5 Each or said dog leg shaped grooves comprises two vertically disposed grooves and a horizontally disposed groove connectingthe low-er end of one vertical groove with: the upper end of the other vertical groove. The grooves l8 extend from the bottom edge of the cap I5 and due to their shape the cap can be retained on the part I 0 when the projections l1 lie in the upper portions of the grooves and under the action of a spring l9 acting between the cap and the closed portion of the part III.

To use the dispenser, it is placed in the palm of the hand and the closure cap I5 is adjusted on the part In to bring the holes 16 of the cap into alignment with the holes [4. Thereafter, salt or other condiment material will be dispensed from the holes and in the manner illustrated in Fig. 5.

In Figs. 6, 7 and 8, the cap I5 is used on a fitting 2| which can be threaded upon a standard glass condiment dispenser part 22. The fitting 2! is formed with a transversely extending portion which, as shown in Fig. 7, comprises a pin 23 extending across the sides of the fitting and projecting a small distance there beyond for the purpose of retaining the cap I5 when the projections, as indicated at 24, are extended into the grooves l8 of the cap. This transverse portion may take the form shown in Fig. 8 and be integral with the fitting as indicated at 25. Spring [9 will be extended over the transverse portion as the cap I5 is assembled on the fitting 2|. Accordingly the cap l5 will be retained in place on the fitting 2| by the spring Hi. When the cap is depressed and turned the projections on the fitting can be aligned with the lowest portions of the grooves so that the cap can be removed from the fitting 2 I.

The construction will be readily understood by the foregoing description. In the use of the dispenser, the cap according to the principal form of the invention is pressed inwardly until the openings of the cap are aligned with the openings of the container parts and then the dispenser is turned over so that the material may be poured out of the openings. When the cap is released the spring will return it to the outer position and the openings will no longer register with the openings of the sontainer part so that the interior of the dispenser is sealed to the atmosphere.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended 0 arm.

Having thus 'fully described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Paten s:

A condiment dispenser comprising a hollow container part having a closed top and a bottom with a filler opening therein, a plug adapted to fill the filler opening and to retain the condiments within the part, said container part having radially extending openings circumferentially spaced therearound and near to the top portion thereof and projections extending radially outwardly from the exterior surface thereof, a slidable closure cap adapted to extend substantially to the bottom of the container part and having a closed top portion, said cap having diametrically opposed dog leg shaped grooves, each of said grooves comprising two vertically disposed portions and a. horizontal'portion connecting the lower end of one vertical portion with the upper end of the other vertical portion, said grooves extending longitudinally within the cap and adapted to receive the projections on the container part, said diametrically opposed grooves serving to permit sliding movement of the sleeve upon the container part to retain the cap upon the container part for sliding movement and as the cap is rotated on the container part to permit the removal of the cap from the container part, and a spring means extending between the top portion of the container part and the top of the cap normally urging the cap from the container part, said horizontal portions in the cap limiting the outward movement of the cap upon the container part.

FRANKLIN J. lVIINTURN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 246,093 Dennys Aug. 23, 1881 498,934 Hudson June 6, 1893 575,610 Malcolm Jan. 19, 1897 848,419 Webster, Jr. Mar. 26, 1907 927,575 Miller July 13, 1909 1,862,555 Thorne June 14, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Great Britain May 26, 1941 

